On the occasion of the retrospective dedicated to Angelica Kauffman taking place in Düsseldorf and London in 2020, the Royal Academy of Arts is organising a study day on the artist on Wednesday 16 September 2020.

A child prodigy and a respected painter famous all over Europe in her own lifetime, Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807) transcended many boundaries and conventions linked to eighteenth century social norms. She embraced many facets of the Enlightenment beliefs, pursued a career to become a history painter following the neoclassical ideals and worked for some of the most prominent patrons of the time. She was also one of the two female founding members of the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 1768. At her death, her sculpted bust was placed next to Raphael’s in the Pantheon in Rome thereby underlining her place in the artistic canon.

We welcome papers exploring the rich and versatile career of Angelica Kauffman with a fresh contextualisation in the broader artistic, cultural, social and economic fabric of the eighteenth century. Topics should draw on Kauffman’s production and career and may include, but are not necessarily limited to:

- Fashion and costume
- The business of art (showroom, records, book-keeping and clientele)
- Cosmopolitan networks
- International career
- Women patrons
- Royal patrons
- Women artists and their careers
- Artistic/Intellectual friendships and their impact on creativity
- Multiples (prints, designs for decorative arts)
- Female self-portrait and self-representation
- Display in C18th European Art

Please send an abstract of 300 words and a short biography of 200 words to: Marie.Tavinorroyalacademy.org.uk and Will.Ironroyalacademy.org.uk

Deadline to submit a proposal: 15 April 2020

We are sorry that we cannot offer any travel bursaries on this occasion.